Beautiful From the Very First Glance
by AshesGleamandGlow
Summary: Viktor Krum isn't impressed with the behavior of one Ronald Weasley, especially concerning the feelings of Hermione Granger. ONE-SHOT, AU, SlightRon!Bashing, for the QFLC, COMPLETE


_**Position:** Keeper_

 _ **Prompt:** Write about Ron's relationship with Hermione_

 _ **Word Count:** 1,003_

 ** _AN:_** _I've never really liked Ron's relationship with Hermione, heck, I've never been a big fan of Ron. As such, this round was a rather large challenge. I did the best I could, and I'm rather happy with the result. Of course, it's later than I meant..._

 ** _000_**

Hermione Granger had sparked something in him from the first time he laid eyes on her. It had really only grown with each glimpse of her he got until finally, he met her for the first time. He feared he'd rather made a mess of that first meeting, what with his awkward manner and his mispronunciation of her name, but her smile had allayed those fears for the most part.

She was an absolute beauty that day, dressed up and smiling as she was, nervous and excited and still stirring his interest with her simple, natural charm. He would look back fondly on that day for the rest of his life, he was sure. Everything had gone to plan, and he rather thought Hermione had truly enjoyed it. Except, of course, for what happened with that friend of hers, Ronald Weasley.

Viktor didn't like Ronald much at all. He was overly loud, his table manners were almost non-existent compared to most people, and from what he'd heard, the red-headed boy wasn't the most stellar friend in the world. The way he'd acted to Hermione certainly left much to be desired in Viktor's book. No woman, no matter their age, deserved such treatment, and from a long time friend, no less! When he found she'd forgiven him for it later, he wasn't sure what to make of it. She could do much better in the way of friends, why she seemed to cling to his friendship greatly confused him.

He was happy to know she wasn't seeing anyone, though, especially not Ronald. He'd have been severely perturbed by her tastes if she'd been going out with him.

When he left for his home country, he regretfully parted ways with the young English which he'd grown to care about. He'd gladly offered her a place to stay during the summer if she and her parents wanted to visit, but he didn't hold much hope for such a thing happening.

The years passed, and though she never took him up on his offer, she continued to be a dear friend. He couldn't say much about Ronald, though, from her letters, he'd at least learned a thing or two about being a friend.

When he finally saw Hermione again, he was stunned speechless by her beauty. It may have been another's wedding day, but to him, Hermione was the star of the show. Finding from Barny Weasley that the girl he was sure he loved was on the verge of going out with the very same red-headed boy who made her cry two years before... if she was happy, then he'd be happy for her. Even if it hurt him to see her with someone less than she deserved.

Almost a whole year later, without hearing a single word from her, Viktor received a letter from Hermione. It was a small thing, only saying she was sorry she hadn't been able to write and that she'd be making a better effort from now on, but it made his day. He'd heard how she and her two friends, Harry and Ronald, had been vital to the defeat of the Dark Lord, and he knew they had to have been busy during the past few months with rebuilding. The fact she'd taken the time to write at all made him quite happy.

A few letters were all it took for him to be mostly apprised of the current situation in England. The new Minister was making quick work of most things politics, the people were banding together to rebuild the shopping districts and Hogwarts, and most of the former Death Eaters had been caught and were scheduled for legal trials starting the sixth of the next month. Fred Weasley had died in the war, as had a number of Hermione's friends, leaving Harry with an orphaned godson. Harry and Ginny, Ronald's little sister, had gotten back together after breaking it off before the war started. And Ronald had forgotten all his hard-learned lessons in friendship, apparently. Or perhaps his hard-learned lessons on how to treat a woman, actually.

After the Final Battle, Ronald had apparently expected him and Hermione to get together and be a proper couple, and when she'd told him she wasn't ready for a relationship yet, he'd gone off on her about how the world didn't revolve around her, that she wasn't the only person who lost someone, and how she always acted so high and mighty around him. Hermione had started crying before she punched him and yelled back at him that if he was going to be such an insensitive berk, he could go be an insensitive berk by himself, though not in as many words. She'd stormed off shortly after, shutting herself in her room and crying herself to sleep.

Viktor was hardly impressed with Ronald, and severely wished to express it to the younger wizard. That was no way to treat the one you were attached to!

The next day, Viktor was on British soil knocking on Hermione's rented room. When she answered, he didn't care about the dark bags under her eyes, her uncared-for hair, her tear stained cheeks. No, to him, she was as beautiful as the day he first saw her.

Hermione started sniffling after a bit, before she suddenly threw herself into his arms, shaking and clutching the front of his shirt like it were her lifeline. Viktor just held her close, giving her whatever comfort he could. Even after all these years, his feelings for her were still as strong as ever. Even if she never returned his feelings, he'd do anything to make her happy.


End file.
